Akiko Ooku is a Japanese film director, born in 1968 in Yokohama. She studied political sciences at Meiji University, but soon decided to switch to studying film at Eigabi School. Her movies often depict neurotic women in their 30s and the realities of huge corporations. She achieved her breakthrough in 2017 with “Tremble All You Want”, shown at many international festivals.
On the occasion of “Sweet Grappa Remedies” screening at Five Flavours, we speak with her about grappa, women dating in their 40s, her latest movie, “Wedding High” and many other topics.
My Sweet Grappa Remedies screening at Five Flavours
Do you like sweet grappa? That is why you gave this title to the film?
Of course! The Japanese title is actually more like “Sweet Alcohol” and I was not sure what the specific alcohol could be. However, when I went to Udine during the spring, I tasted grappa, and I felt it is the perfect drink for this movie.
What would the situation be in reality, if a woman in her 40s decided to date nowadays in Japan?
It would be kind of like in the movie. A lot of women that age feel that it is too much trouble to date, so they just don't do it. There is a second type of women in their 40s, who were always very focused on their career and they did not have time for dating, but they also feel they do not want to pursue it anymore.
So, is the protagonist of the movie the only one willing to do it?
(laughter) The thing about the character is that I did not want to make her stereotypical, as women are in Japanese movies. I did not want her to be a mom, a wife, a “normal” woman, so I decided to make her very charming and also someone who is not obsessed with her work, so she can date men.
Why have her date a younger guy and not a guy her age let's say.
This was how the story in the book the script is adapted from was, and I talked with the author, and he said that there is no particular reason why she is dating a younger guy. To share an anecdote, when I was reading the book, I had an image of what the characters would look like and I was trying to make the main character “suitable” to date a younger guy, and I chose Yasuko Matsuyuki based on that idea. When the author saw her however, he thought that she is way too beautiful to play this character (laughter)
The next is a bit personal I guess. Have you ever dated a guy in his 20s?
No, only when I was in my 20s.
Do you like the protagonist of the movie, would you go out and have grappa with her?
Of course! I would really like to meet her in person, I think she is a great woman.
Can you give us some info about the casting?
As I said before, as I was reading the book, I thought that the protagonist should definitely be a pretty woman, so I was looking for actresses in their 40s I thought they were very beautiful. However, one very important thing about Yasuko Matsuyuki is that she has kind of a warm aura around her, and that is why I thought she would be perfect for the role.
Regarding Himizu Hiroya who plays Okamoto, I was thinking of what aura a younger man who dates an older woman should have, and I was trying to find someone who would be comfortable playing that part. That is why I chose him, playing a 20-year old man. He was actually even younger at the time, he was 19.
Do you allow improvisation to your actors?
When it comes to set parts I do not allow improvisation there, but when it comes to parts that look more like a performance, I do allow. There was one thing that was not in the book, the second kiss, after the one on the sofa when the girl kisses the guy, we wanted to show that he also wants to kiss her, so the second kiss when they are washing the dishes, it was the actors' proposition.
Can you give us some details regarding cinematography, what you wanted to do with the visuals of the movie.
I have been working for a long time with DP Natsuyo Nakamura and there was no specific thing about the aesthetics, I was only trying to avoid having this relationship between an older woman and a young guy look appalling. Therefore, I used lighter colors, in order to make it easier on the eye.
“Wedding High”, your latest movie, is very different from your previous ones, since it is a mainstream film with an ensemble cast. How was the experience?
Like you said, it is a very different film. One part that is very different is the wedding ceremony, which points towards a feelgood movie. My favorite wedding scene actually is from the movie “After the Wedding”, which is a very dark one, so I thought it would be a challenge to myself to make a bright happy movie about a Japanese wedding.
Is it difficult working with so many actors?
Very difficult! But it is also very fun.
Considering this was a big production, how much artistic freedom did you have?
I thought it would be very tight, but it was much better than I thought actually, I had a lot of artistic freedom. For example, at first, it was supposed to be a movie with a lot of male characters, but I added many female characters. That the protagonist is a wedding planner but has failed in her marriage was also my idea.
Do you plan on going towards this mainstream direction moving forward?
I am not sure, I like both big and small productions. I am just happy making movies.
What is usually the reaction of the Japanese audience to your movies?
Their reactions are good, because they know what to expect from my films, particularly regarding this type of ironic comedy I always implement.
What is the situation with the Japanese movie industry at the moment?
The big production movies are now mostly made for TV, so there is a pattern in them and they are becoming very similar. Japanese producers consider the fact that there are many Japanese people who do not go to the cinema even once per year. The art cinema is trying to fight against it, but it is difficult.
Are you working on anything new?
I have scripts for six movies, but for now, I am shooting a TV show in January for NHK and in the summer, I will start working on my next movie.
